Don’t mess with his dog, or his car. That’s a good “rule of
thumb” for people who cross the semi-retired hit man John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves in the surprise action/noir hit
from 2014. Keanu is back in the title role or another killing spree in John Wick: Chapter 2 this weekend.

Since the first film, in which Wick takes down an entire New
york based Russian mob, we aren’t really sure what he’s been up to, except
retrieving his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang taken by the mobsters. After getting his
car back, Wick is soon visited crime lord Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio),
who calls in an old mafia marker, demanding that the hit man come back out of
retirement. Santino’s assignment is to kill his mafia queen sister Gianna (Claudia
Gerini), so that he can take her place in the world mobster leadership council
(a “United Nations” of crime, if you will). Wick resists at first, but
eventually agrees to carry out the hit, since he once gave a blood oath the
Santino. Wick travels to Rome, where he must shoot his way through GIanna’s
bodyguards led by Cassian (Common) and Ares (Ruby Rose) in order to complete
his obligation. Once the deed is done, Santino orders a contract out on Wick’s
head, making him the target of several killers for hire in the network. Wick
also seeks assistance from “The Bowery King” (Lawrence Fishburne), a ruthless
man who controls a syndicate of killers posing as homeless. Wick takes on all
comers, leaving a bloody tail of bodies in his wake until he tracks Santino
down to the Continental Hotel in New York (a safe haven designated for all
crime syndicate players, where no blood can be spilt). The hotel is operated by
Winston (Ian McShane), who enforces the rules without exception. When Wick
tracks Santino back to the Continental, he must decide whether to abide by the
rules, or take out his revenge on Santino, which would require Winston to
“excommunicate” him.

John Wick: Chapter 2
is a non-stop action thriller with a very dark attitude. Keanu Reeves plays the
title role as indestructible and fierce, with a soft spot for his deceased wife
Helen (cameo appearance from Bridget Moynahan) and, of course, dogs. The
dialogue and story a little over the top, with acerbic one-liners spoken by
killers during stare downs, and it all plays out like a graphic novel, complete
with graphic imagery.

I was pleased that writer Derek Kolstad and director Chad
Staheleski ventured a little further in to the culture of the Continental Hotel
from the first film, but I would have liked to see more of the quirky
characters from the first installment. The new killers seem to lack the same
unique style. Even so, John Wick: Chapter
2 is a worthy sequel, and sets up for more films in the future.

A word of warning: John
Wick: Chapter 2 is extremely violent, with a huge body count and plenty of
gruesome deaths. If you don’t like much violence and gunplay, you may want to
stay away from this one.